Nigeria FA Insist U17s Not Abandoned Before To World Cup

Hosts and defending champions of this year's FIFA U17 World Cup have not been left to their fate, officials insist.

Sep 27, 2009 5:37:56 PM

More On : 

Nigeria's Under-17 team are well taken care of and will do well at next month's FIFA World Cup, where they will host as well as defend their crown, officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have told Goal.com

Goal.com investigations revealed that the Golden Eaglets have been abandoned as most top officials of the NFF are away in Egypt for the FIFA Under-20 World Cup, but NFF technical committee chairman, Taiwo Ogunjobi, said he is very much in charge of the team.

Don't Miss

"I'm here with the team, even in a situation where the other officials are in the country, I would still be in charge of the team as chairman of the technical committee," Ogunjobi said.

"Yes, we are having some problems with getting visas to Germany for about 10 of the players, but we are hopeful that by Tuesday that problem would have been solved.

"And in between that time, we plan some tough friendlies against premier league clubs like Shooting Stars and Sunshine Stars, and so the team have been kept very busy."

Ogunjobi also told Goal.com that an invitational tournament to prepare the team for the World Cup has been postponed and not canceled as earlier reported by a section of the local press.

"We are still hopeful this tournament will take place in the middle of October depending on the program of the Eaglets. We have notified Sierra Leone, Benin and Togo to be part of this event, " Ogunjobi offered.

Samm Audu, Goal.com

Talk all things soccer with the rest of our readers in the Goal.com Forums

Follow Goal.com on Twitter

Follow Goal.com on Facebook
 
play pause open close
Inside Goal.Com
  1. EURO 2012: Cristiano Ronaldo, Xavi and Van Persie named in Goal.com's dream team XI EURO 2012: Cristiano Ronaldo, Xavi and Van Persie named in Goal.com's dream team XI

    Goal.com put together its dream team for this summer's European Championship in Poland and Ukraine

  2. RIGG: Anelka struggling against the current in Shanghai RIGG: Anelka struggling against the current in Shanghai

    Nicolas Anelka went against the grain when he moved to Shanghai. Now he's finding that coaching and gelling tactically is like swimming against the tide.

  3. ROGERS: Bradley should command a bidding war among Serie A teams ROGERS: Bradley should command a bidding war among Serie A teams

    Chievo is currently shopping the American midfielder and several Italian clubs have shown interest.

  4. ISOLA: Neymar-led Brazil should be considered the 2014 WC favorite ISOLA: Neymar-led Brazil should be considered the 2014 WC favorite

    Neymar was brilliant as Brazil easily handled the United States with early World Cup preparations officially underway.

  5. LATHAM: Mexico using summer friendlies to build depth LATHAM: Mexico using summer friendlies to build depth

    With World Cup qualifying to begin in June, Mexico is using three U.S.-hosted friendlies to build squad depth.